On the "Polar Star" in the Arctic Sea. Amedeo, Luigi of Savoy. Antarctic,Arctic,Polar

First English edition. 2 vols. Royal 8vo. pp. xvi, 346, xvii-xxii & viii, 347-702, xii; 212 photographic illustrations in the text, 16 full-page photogravures, 2 panoramas, 5 maps including folding maps at rear of volume I; very good in original blue cloth, gilt, vignettes in gilt to upper boards, t.e.g., vol. II a little rubbed to head of spine. With the bookplates of Brian B. Roberts. The Polar Star expedition, comprising a crew from Italy and Norway, aimed to reach the North Polar by sailing as far north as possible and then continuing by sledge. The Pole was not actually attained but the sledge expedition pushed on to a new highest latitude, and indeed the Polar Star reached the highest latitude ever achieved by a ship following the coast-line. Three of the crew perished during the sledge journey. This copy belonged to Brian Roberts, a member of several Arctic expeditions and the British Graham Land Expedition, 1934-7.